Darren Christopher Oliver Bio Info

Darren Christopher Oliver... Married with two children... Is the son of Bob Oliver, former Major League infielder with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals, California Angels, Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees from 1965- 1975... Hobby:
fishing... Lettered three times in baseball and twice in basketball at Rio Linda (CA) High School (graduated 1988)... Earned
all-city and all-league honours in senior year.2012In his 19th Major League season and first in Toronto posted the lowest ERA of his career at 2.06...His ERA was T-3rd lowest in the AL for pitchers with a minimum of 50 innings and also led the club...Held opponent's to a .214 average, including a .196 mark vs. right-handed hitters... Ranked 16th in the AL vs. right-handed
hitters (min 100AB)...Allowed batters to hit .320 when leading off an inning, however limited opponents to a .179 mark following that... Allowed only two hits in eight Interleague contests...Passed the 700 game and 1200 strikeout plateau, finishing the year with 716 games played and 1219 strikeouts... Appeared in more than 60 games for a fourth straight season and five of the last six... Only Matt Thronton has done so in each
of the last six seasons as a Major League lefty...From May through July appeared in 34 games, posting a 2-1 record with one save and a 1.16 ERA... Had three separate
streaks of nine, 10 and 11 games throughout the season without allowing a run and gave up an earned run in only 10 of his
62 outings... Allowed more than one run in only two contests...Posted his 6th and 7th career saves on July 15 vs. CLE and August 4 at OAK...Tossed 2.1 innings on May 26 at TEX, his most since going 2.1 at SEA on Aug. 4, 2010.2011Led the Rangers in relief wins (5) and holds (16), and placing second in appearances (61)... Posted a career low 2.29 ERA, 11th best among AL qualifying relievers and the lowest on the staff among any pitcher who appeared with Texas... Had a pair of saves, most since 1994 (2) after just one in previous 15 ML seasons... His 51.0 innings were his fewest
in a season since 1995 (49.0 IP)... WORKHORSE: Has made 60+ appearances in four of the last five years, one of five ML
lefthanders to accomplish that (Jeremy Affeldt, Brian Fuentes, Javier Lopez, Matt Thornton)... Allowed a run in 13 of 61 appearances...
Permitted 12 of 33 inherited runners to score (36.4%) and 21 of 61 first batters to reach base... Posted a 1.74 ERA
(2 ER/10.1 IP) over his first 10 appearances through April 27 before having a 4.15 mark (6 ER/13.0 IP) in next 15 outings, lifting
ERA to 3.09 on June 8... Compiled a 1.63 ERA (5 ER/27.2 IP) in his final 36 appearances, issuing runs just 5 times... Permitted
two runs in 9.1 innings in his last 13 games... SAVES THE DAY: Earned his two saves in consecutive outings, April 23 vs.
Kansas City and April 27 against Toronto... Save against the Royals came at the age of 40 years, 199 days, the oldest Ranger
to ever record a save... That record lasted for one day before Arthur Rhodes' save on April 24 vs. KC came at 41 years, 182
days of age... Was 2-for-6 overall in save tries... ODDS AND ENDS: Did not issue a home run in final 48 games and 39.2 IP
after Hideki Matsui's walk-off blast on May 2 at Oakland... Issued the first walk-off homer of ML career in 599th appearance
to Brandon Inge on April 13 at Detroit... Was the longest such streak to begin career since Kyle Farnsworth permitted his first
walkoff homer in his 617th ML game on April 19, 2009... Only 9 of 47 hits allowed went for extra bases (6 2B and 3 HR)...
Longest outing was 2.0 innings, May 7 vs. New York (AL)... Did not retire a batter in four appearances... Fanned three batters
twice, May 30 at Tampa Bay and Sept. 17 at Seattle... Allowed 2 R-1 ER in 14.0 innings in his last 19 road appearances
beginning May 30... Compiled a 1.84 ERA (3 ER/14.2 IP) in 18 games vs. A.L. West Division opponents... Made 600th career
appearance, April 16 at New York (AL), recording lone out on a caught stealing.2010Returned to Texas for his 3rd stint with the club after an 8-year absence and was a mainstay in the Rangers bullpen ... was 2nd on the club in relief strikeouts (65), while placing 3rd in innings (61.2), holds (14) and appearances (career-high 64), the latter being the most games ever for a Rangers pitcher, 39 years
of age or older ... ranked 9th among A.L. relievers (50.0+ IP) with
a 2.48 ERA, the lowest mark of his career, and was T11th in the
league in relief strikeouts ... established career high for games and
matched high for strikeouts in relief ... issued runs in 15 of 64
games and retired 42 first batters ... permitted just 9 of 41 inherited
runners to score, a 22.0% success rate that ranked as 9th-best
in the A.L ... compiled 1.10 WHIP, lowest mark of his career, while
his 9.4 strikeouts-per-9 was also a career best.2009Had the lowest ERA on the Angels' staff (40.0 or more IP) and placed third with 63 appearances both career bests...also topped club with 20 holds, tied for ninth in the A.L., and 69.0 relief innings....allowed a run in 14 of 62 relief appearances and permitted 13 of 44 inherited runners (29.5%) to score...finished 9 games...opponents batted .237, third lowest mark of his career...held RHB to a
.217 (31-143) mark with LHB at .263 (30-114)...averaged 8.0 strikeouts per 9.0 innings, the second best ratio of career to 9.0 SO/9.0
IP in 1994.2008In his second season with the Angels, was 7-1 with a 2.88 ERA (72 IP - 23 ER) in 54 games...Allowed 67 hits (5 HR), walked 16 and struck out 48...Seven wins marked most as reliever in career...Has won six straight decisions since April 25, the longest of his career...Pitched 2.1 innings (3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 SO) Sept. 19 at Texas, posting 100th career
victory....16 of final 20 outings and 24 of last 29 appearances were scoreless...Posted blown save June 8, 2008 at
Oakland...Marked second blown save of career and first since July 4, 1994 vs. Detroit as member of Texas...Between
the two dates, he made 176 relief appearances without a blown save...Is third-longest streak of relief games without
a blown save in full play-by-play era (1956-2008)...Current Braves' reliever Mike Gonzalez holds the record with 183
consecutive relief appearances between blown saves..Longest outing of season was 2.2 IP (four times)...Strikeout
high was four, Sept. 5 at Chicago (2.1 IP)....Is longest MLB tenured player on Angels' roster.2007Completed season with 3-1 record and 3.78 ERA (64.1 IP - 27 ER) in career-high 61 games...Allowed 58 hits (5 HR), walked 23 and struck out 51...Logged a 5.79 ERA before the break (28 IP - 18 ER)...ERA after the break was 2.23 (36.1 IP - 9 ER)...18 of last 21 appearances were scoreless...Did not allowed an earned run in
35 of last 42 outings lowering ERA from 7.98 to 3.78...Worked a 1-2-3 10th inning, Aug. 20 vs. NYY to earn first
win as Angel (1 IP, 1 SO)...Tossed season-best three scoreless innings, July 23 vs. Oakland (2 SO)...Pitched 1.1
innings (3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 SO, 1 BK), Sept. 25 at Texas, suffering first loss of season (3-1)...Marked first runs allowed
since Aug. 25 (15.1 IP; 11 appearances)...Was 0-0 with a 1.38 ERA (13 IP - 2 ER) in nine games in July...Was 3-0 with a 2.65 ERA (34 IP - 10 ER) in 32 games at home...Opponents batted .239 against him.2006The former starter played the long relief role to perfection for the Mets, finishing sixth among NL relievers and 11th in the Majors with 81 innings. Had periods during the season in which he was lights-out coming out of the bullpen. He recorded 11 straight shutout innings over four games between May 18-30, and had a 9 1/3 scoreless inning streak from July 3-19. Oliver tossed a career-high five innings of scoreless relief and allowed only one hit in the Mets' 7-3 loss to the Marlins on July 7.2005Went to spring training with the Colorado Rockies and was 2-1 with a 2.45 ERA in four games...Was released from the Rockies' minor league contract on March 31st...On April 16th, he was signed as a minor league free agent by Arizona...Pitched in four games with Arizona's Tucson Sidewinders (AAA) of the Pacific Coast League and was 1-0 with a 6.38 ERA...Was
released by Tucson on May 3rd...Signed with the Chicago Cubs' Iowa (AAA) club of the Pacific Coast League on May 7th...In three contests with the Cubs he was
0-3 with a 13.50 ERA with Iowa...Retired on May 21st.2004Divided the season between Florida and Houston...Was a combined 3-3 with a 5.94 ERA in 27 games (10 starts) between the two teams...Acquired by the Astros on July 31st...Left his August 31st start vs. Atlanta after one inning because of tightness in his left shoulder...Was placed on the 15-Day Disabled List on August 10th and missed 28 contests before he was activated on September 6th.2003Made a career-best 32 starts...His 13 victories fell one short of his career-best of 14, accomplished in 1996 with the Rangers...Paced the Rockies in victories...The 13 wins were the second most by a lefthanded pitcher in Rockies' history...Mike Hampton won 14 games in 2001...Led Colorado pitchers in batting (.254), runs (six), hits (17) and RBI (eight)...Made his lone relief appearance in Game Two of a doubleheader on June 17th vs. Kansas City...On July 10th vs. San Francisco (off Brian Powell), he hit his first career home run, a 445-foot shot to centerfield.2002Began the season with the Red Sox...Tossed his fourth complete-game shutout in a 4-0 win on April 30th vs. Baltimore...Allowed eight hits...Was his first shutout since August 3, 1999 vs. San Diego and the first by a Boston lefthander since Frank Viola accomplished the feat on April 18, 1993...Was designated for assignment on June 25th and was released by Boston on July 2nd.2001Ranked second on the Texas staff in wins and was third in starts, innings pitched and strikeouts...Began the season 4-0 with a 5.24 ERA, matching his best career start and the best start by a Texas lefthander since Mike Mason
went 4-0 in 1986...Placed on the 15-Day Disabled List on May 8th with a laceration on his left thumb...Activated from the DL on June 6th...Threw a complete game in a 6-2 triumph on July 21st at Tampa, his first since September 7, 1999.2000Signed by Texas as a free agent on January 27th...His two victories were the lowest win total of his major league career...Placed on the Disabled List on June 21st, retroactive to June 17th, with tendinitis in his left shoulder...Activated on July 20th...Returned to the DL on August 1st and activated again on September 1st.1999Struck out a career-best 119 batters...Also had a career-high 11 strikeouts in a four-hit, in a 6-0 shutout vs. the Padres on August 3rd...Paced the Cardinals in innings pitched.1998Divided the year between Texas and St. Louis...Put together back-to-back complete games, May 3rd at Boston and May 9th vs. Cleveland...Placed on the Disabled List June 11th-June 26th after straining a muscle in his left shoulder while swinging a bat on June 10th at Colorado...Acquired by the Cardinals on July 31st.1997Selected as the Rangers Pitcher of the Year...Was first on his Texas team in victories, and tied for first in starts and complete games...Also ranked second in innings pitched and was fourth in strikeouts...Established career highs in starts, complete games and innings pitched...Started the first regular season interleague game in Major League Baseball history, dropping a 4-3 decision on June 12th vs. San Francisco...Hit a two-run single in his first major league at-bat on June 18th at Colorado, becoming the first Texas pitcher with two RBI in a game since Dick Bosman on August 18, 1972...Put together a career-best five-game winning streak from July 26th-August 27th.1996Posted a career-best in victories...Was fourth in the American League in winning percentage (.700), the second-best mark in Rangers' history...Did not lose consecutive decisions all season...Began the season with Charlotte (A) of the Florida State League and was recalled on April 5th...Lost to the Yankees in Game Three of the American League Division Series on October 4th...Allowed three runs and six hits in eight innings...It was the first-ever home professional post-season game for the Rangers.1995Was 3-2 and a 2.83 ERA in seven starts and 1-0 with a 7.71 ERA in 10 relief outings...Began the season in middle relief while recovering from off-season elbow surgery...Lost his first major league start, 1-0, to Milwaukee on May 19th...Left on June 26th start at Oakland after one inning with pain in his left shoulder...Was diagnosed with a partial tear of his right
rotator cuff and was placed on the Disabled List...Dr. Frank Job performed surgery on the elbow on August 25th in Inglewood, CA.1994Led all American League rookies in games and ERA...Began the year with the Rangers...Was optioned to Oklahoma City (AAA) of the American Association on April 10th...Recalled on April 23rd...Earned his first major league victory on July 1st in a 10-6 victory vs. Detroit...Had a 17.0 scoreless inning streak from June 21st-July 29th, the longest scoreless inning streak by a Texas reliever since 1984.1993His contract was purchased from Tulsa (AA) of the Texas League on September 1st...Made his major league debut that night, walking the only batter he faced...Underwent arthroscopic surgery on November 23rd to remove loose bodies from the back of his elbow.1992Opened season on rehab in extended spring training... Made just three starts before being sidelined for remainder of season on July 1 with a strained muscle and impingement in left shoulder.1991Opened at Charlotte but appeared in just two games before being disabled on May 1... Was diagnosed with torn ulnar collateral ligament in left elbow and had ligament reconstruction surgery performed by Dr. James Andrews on June 12.1990Spent most of year in extended spring training with tendinitis in left rotator cuff... Saw limited action at Gulf Coast Rangers (Rookie) and Gastonia (A) in August.19893rd on Gastonia staff in starts (23) and 4th in strikeouts (108) and innings (122.1).1988Led all Rangers rookie league pitchers in strikeouts (59 K's in 54.1 IP) at Gulf Coast Rangers... Averaged 10.1 strikeouts per 9.0 innings, ranking 5th in the Gulf Coast League... Pitched in Florida Instructional League.